Not so long ago, Allentown was a giant in both industry and commerce. While Lehigh Structural Steel fulfilled orders for oversized fabrications under the Tilghman Street Bridge, Western Electric invented the tiny transistors, a few blocks beyond on Union Boulevard. During the summer months, workers and their families from both heavy and light industry would entertain themselves at the drive-in movie, Dorney Park and the Max Hess baseball stadium, out on MacArthur Road. Western Electric would evolve into Lucent, which pioneered another electronic wonder, the silicon chip. The City of Allentown did it's share by updating our water system, to fulfill the demands of these industries. We now have been reduced to thinking that a baseball stadium on the parking lot of Lucent is commerce. We are reduced to selling our water system to pay for bad decisions by the mediocre. We actually celebrate these compromises.
Photograph of better days under the Tilghman Street Bridge
I read in the Morning Call that the Mayor was telling voters at the polls that the people who want the referendum want to bankrupt the city.
ReplyDeleteThat can't be true. Either it's crummy MCall reporting or the Mayor has lost his mind. I pick crummy MCall reporting. In either case, though, the city needs the referendum.
If the people vote to not sell the water, then the city goes bankrupt and the people can't blame him. What's his problem with that?
In the picture, what do you think that is being fabricated: the body of a tanker truck, a missile, or one of those rocket ships?
ReplyDelete@1:38, i assume some tank for a factory, it's much larger than a tanker truck. photo will enlarge if clicked. that's not a normal flat car holding the fabrication.
ReplyDeleteThe load on the flat cars came from Air Products in Wilkes Barre PA and in travelling to the Port of Newark.That load has nothing to do with Lehigh Structural Steel just passing thru on the Lehigh Valley main line. Steven Zuby
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